Palmerston North

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 10, 18 March 1925, Page 31

Palmerston North

(From our own Correspondent.) March 13. Miss Mary Bahout, whose name appears on the hospital list, is progressing favorably. Since the. first Sunday of this month we have been having our Sunday Masses at the old hours—half-past seven, nine, and eleven o'clock. H We are not holding a picnic on St. Pat- ' rick's Day this year. The children will be f very disappointed; it certainly is hard luck. / The parochial programme is full already, and those who would have the responsibility of running the picnic must feel relieved at .its omission as they have their hands full in connection with the opening of the church, euchres, the bazaar, and a host of other things.

Everybody is talking "opening day" so the scribe had better be in. the fashion and write about it. Well, that wonderful day is fixed for the 22nd, which means that next Sunday will be the last Sunday that the people of Palmerston North will ever assist at Mass in the old church. How paradoxical is human nature! We have (for over twelve years) longed and prayed and worked for a new church. Although wo have abused the old building for the last twenty months we have been standing on its doorstep gazing down "Broad Street to the new place, dreaming of the day when we would pray our prayers beneath its tower; and now that our golden dream is within a few days of its realisation, we say that it is hard to part with the old church. We recount to each other the events (joyful and sorrowful) connected with it: and the tears glisten in the eyes of the old folk, for sentiment is a strong thing. "I've grown so used to you" is as true of places and things as of persons. But one question answered rightly dries the tears and ends the regrets: "Are we Palmerston people satisfied that God should continue to dwell in such a home?" Never! never! never! The first Mass in the new church will be celebrated by Archbishop Redwood at 7 o'clock —not 7.30 as usual. His Grace will preach the sermon. Then there will be ibo 9 mid the 11 o'clock Masses and a special sermon at each. The latter will be a High Mass; and if the choir is not at its best it will not be the fault of the indefatigable conductor (Mr. Cosgrove). This redletter day will be brought to a close with Rosary, Sermon, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. May the weather be our best friend that day !